Spinneret with yarn separator

ABSTRACT

A yarn separator for use in spinning polymeric filaments cooperating with a spinneret having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices arranged in rows, the polymer being extruded into filaments through said spinning orifices, the filaments from each group of orifices to constitute a respective multifilament yarn end. The yarn separator is comprised of a plurality of separator bars corresponding to the rows of grouped spinning orifices, each separator bar having a plurality of spaced guide means for guiding the yarn ends, the guide means on each separator bar in addition to being spaced from each other are also staggered with respect to the guide means on the other separator bars, whereby the yarn ends are all guided to and away from the yarn separator in a spaced and staggered relationship.

N orwood [451 Dec. 24, 1974 SPINNERET WITH YARN SEPARATOR David W. Norwood, Baltimore, Md.

Concorde Fibers, Inc., Columbia, Md.

Filed: July 31, 1973 Appl. No.: 378,363

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 216,172, Jan. 7, 1972, abandoned.

Inventor:

Assignee:

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1920 Card 57/106 l/l935 Jewett 242/157 R 11/1943 Brosi 425/464 X 9/1949 Harrigan 57/108 10/1966 Roeder et al 19/65 T X 3,600,492 8/1971 Vock et al 264/178 F FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 697,459 9/1953 Great Britain 425/66 Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Attorney, Agent, or FirmNolte and Nolte [5 7] ABSTRACT A yarn separator for use in spinning polymeric filaments cooperating with a spinneret having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices arranged in rows, the polymer being extruded into filaments through said spinning orifices, the filaments from each group of orifices to constitute a respective multifilament yarn end. The yarn separator is comprised of a plurality of separator bars corresponding to the rows of grouped spinning orifices, each separator bar having a plurality of spaced guide means for guiding the yarn ends, the guide means on each separator bar in addition to being spaced from each other are also staggered with respect to the guide means on the other separator bars, whereby the yarn ends are all guided to and away from the yarn separator in a spaced and staggered relationship.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures SHEEI 1 0f 2 IIIIH PATENTED 05324 I974 SPINNERET WITH YARN SEPARATOR This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 216,172, filed Jan. 7, 1972, now abandoned.

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for forming a plurality of multifilament yarn ends from a spinneret. More particularly, the present invention relates to a yarn separator which cooperates with a spinneret, having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices, to segregate the filaments constituted of the filaments issuing from a respective group of orifices, and to guide the yarn ends issuing from the spinning orifices into multifilament yarn ends, each end being away from the yarn separator in a spaced and staggered relationship.

In providing a yarn separator for use with a spinneret having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices to segregate the filaments formed by each group of spinning orifices into a respective plural filament yarn end, a major problem was found to arise from the fact that the yarn ends coming off the yarn separators were arranged in vertical rows corresponding to the rows of grouped spinning orifices in the spinneret. This made start up, involving threading the groups of filaments onto the separators very difficult, because a line of vision was not provided to each group of filaments. Moreover, this arrangement necessitated further manipulation for staggering these vertical rows of yarn ends so that they might all be run in one plane for the further operations to be performed on them.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved yarn separator for use in spinning polymeric filaments to form a plurality of multifilament yarn ends from each spinneret wherein the yarn ends coming off the yarn separator are all guided to and away from the yarn separator in a spaced and staggered relationship so that a line of vision is provided to each group of filaments forming a yarn end and the resultant yarn ends may thereafter be brought, without need for any rearrangement, into side-by-side, non-overlapping relation in a single plane.

The yarn separator of the present invention which is designed to cooperate with a spinneret having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices arranged in rows comprises a plurality of separator bars corresponding to the rows of grouped spinning orifices, each separator bar having a plurality of spaced guide rollers for guiding the yarn ends, the guide rollers of each separator bar in addition to being spaced from each other are also staggered with respect to the guide rollers on the other separator bars, whereby the yarn ends are all guided to and away from the yarn separator in a spaced and staggered relationship.

The present invention will be described and understood more readily when considered with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a yarn separator according to the present invention cooperating with a spinneret;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the yarn separator of the present invention cooperating with a spinneret as shown in FIG. 1, taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the spinneret of FIG. 2 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the spinneret of FIG. 3 in greater detail.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a spinneret, generally designated 10, a yarn separator according to the present invention, generally designated 12, positioned in a quench tank 14 containing quench liquid,'usually water, (not illustrated) up to level 14a. The molten thermoplastic is extruded or spun vertically downwardly through the spinneret 10 into the quench liquid in the quench tank v14, wherein the molten filamentary streams issuing from the respective orifices are solidified to form multifilament yarn ends 16. As clearly seen in FIG. 3, the spinneret is provided with a plurality of grouped spinning orifices, designated 18 through 56, arranged in horizontal rows A, B, C, D and E. Each yarn end 16 is formed by extrusion generally known as spinning of the thermoplastic through a respective group of spinning orifices, clearly seen in FIG. 4, and the yarn ends 16 are directed to yarn separator 12 which separates and guides the yarn ends 16 for further processing.

Yarn separator 12 is comprised of a plurality of separator bars, designated A through E, which correspond to the rows of grouped spinning orifices A through E in spinneret 10. The separator bars A through E' are mounted on a bracket 58 attached to the interior of quench tank 14 by means of screws 60.

Each of the yarn ends 16 issuing from the grouped spinning orifices of spinneret 10 is directed to one of the guide rollers, generally designated 18 to 56, on the separator bars of yarn separator 12. The guide rollers are preferably constructed of a ceramic material and are adapted to freely rotate about the separator bars. As clearly seen in FIG. 2, the guide rollers on each separator bar are spaced from each other by spacers 62 and are staggered from the guide rollers on the other separator bars so that the yarn ends 16 moving away from or coming off the guide rollers are all spaced from each other and the yarn ends in each row formed along respective guide bars A to E corresponding to respective spinning orifice group rows A to E are staggered from the yarn ends in the other rows. In other words, projecting the images of the yarn ends 16 coming off the guide rollers 18 through 56' onto a plane parallel to any one of the separator bars A through B would reveal that each yarn end 16 is spacially separated from each of the other yarn ends.

Each one of the separator bars A through E is associated with one of the rows of grouped spinning orifices A through E of spinneret 10, as clearly seen in FIG. 1. For instance, the grouped spinning orifices 18, 20 and 22 in row A of spinneret 10 is associated with separator bar A on which are rollers 18', 20' and 22' corresponding to the grouped spinning orifices in row A of the spinneret. Likewise, the grouped spinning orifices 24 through 30 in row B of the spinneret 10 are associated with the separator bar B having the corresponding guide rollers 24' through 30'. This relationship between the yarn separator 12 and the spinneret 10 is maintained for the remaining rows of grouped spinning orifices and corresponding separator bars.

In operation, the molten thermoplastic is extruded or spun vertically downwardly through the grouped spinning orifices 18 through 56 in spinneret 10 into yarn ends as clearly seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The yarn ends are then quenched in a quench bath (not shown) contained in quench tank 14 where they are threaded about the guide rollers 18' through 56' on separator bars A through E. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the grouped spinning orifices 18, 20 and 22 in row A of spinneret are threaded about guide rollers 18', 20 and 22' on separator bar A of the yarn separator 12. Similarly, the grouped spinning orifices in rows B. C. D and E of spinneret 10 are also threaded around corresponding guide rollers on separator bars B, C, D and E of the yarn separator 12.. As described above, the yarn ends 16 leaving the yarn separator 12 are spacially arranged in rows corresponding to spinning orifice rows A to E and in addition the yarn ends in each row are staggered with respect to the yarn ends in other rows, so that their projections onto a plane parallel to any one of the separator bars are spacially separated from one another. The yarn ends 16 are then collected together into a single plane in side-by-side non-overlapping relation (not illustrated), as can be seen by visualizing an extension of yarn ends in FIG. 1, for further processing.

It is to be understood that the foregoing general and detailed descriptions are exemplary and explanatory of the present invention and are not to be interpreted as restrictive of the scope of the following claims. For example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention may also be applied to dry" spinning, in which a filament forming polymeric material is dissolved in a solvent and extruded through a spinneret whereupon the solvent is evaporated and to wet" spinning in which a filament forming polymeric material in a liquid, extrudable form, such as viscose or cuprammonium rayon or a solution of the polymer in a solvent, is extruded through a spinneret into a bath wherein the filaments are coagulated by chemical reaction or by leaching of the solvent. In all instances the polymer is in liquid form, whether by melting, dissolution or chemical reaction, to render it extrudable. Examples of polymers commonly melt spun are polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyamides such as nylon-6 and nylon-6,6 and polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate; an example of a polymer commonly dry spun is cellulose acetate; examples of polymers commonly wet spun are acrylonitrile polymers and copolymers and cuprammonium and viscose rayons.

What is claimed is:

l. A spinning apparatus for extruding polymeric yarn which includes a spinneret having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices arranged in rows there being several grouped spinning orifices in each row, the polymer being extruded into filaments through said spinning orifices issuing from the spinneret, and a yarn separator cooperating with said spinneret for separating the filaments extruded from the respective groups of orifices into respective yarn ends, said yarn separator comprising a plurality of substantially parallel separator bars, each separator bar having a plurality of spaced guide means for guiding the yarn ends, the guide means on each separator bar in addition to being spaced from each other being also staggered with respect to the guide means on the other separator bars such that each guide means receives yarn from only one of the grouped spinning orifices, whereby the yarn ends of each of the grouped spinning orifices are guided to and away from the yarn separator in a spaced relationship.

2. The spinning apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the guide means are rollers rotatable on said separator bars,

3. The spinning apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including means for containing a bath positioned below the spinneret for receiving the filaments extruded from the orifices, the yarn separator being positioned in said containing means.

4. A yarn separator for use in cooperation with a spinneret, said spinneret having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices arranged in rows, there being several grouped spinning orifices in each row, comprising a plurality of substantially parallel separator bars, each of said separator bars having a plurality of spaced guide means for guiding the yarn ends, the guide means on each separator bar in addition to being spaced from each other being also staggered with respect to the guide means of the other separator bars such that each guide means receives yarn from only one of the grouped spinning orifices whereby the yarn ends of each of the grouped spinning orifices are guided to and away from the yarn separator in a spaced relationship.

5. The yarn separator as defined in claim 1, wherein the guide means comprises rollers rotatable on said separator bars.

6. A spinning apparatus for extruding polymeric yarn which includes a spinneret having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices arranged in rows there being at least one of the grouped spinning orifices in each row and a yarn separator cooperating with said spinneret for separating the filaments extruded from the respective groups of orifices into respective yarn ends, said yarn separator comprising a plurality of substantially parallel separator bars having a plurality of spaced guide means for guiding the yarn ends, there being at least one guide means on each separator bar the guide means on said separator bars being spaced from each other and staggered with respect to the guide means on the other separator bars such that each guide means constitute means for receiving yarn from only one of the grouped spinning orifices, whereby the yarn ends of each of the grouped spinning orifices are guided to and away from the yarn separator in a spaced relationship. 

1. A spinning apparatus for extruding polymeric yarn which includes a spinneret having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices arranged in rows there being several grouped spinning orifices in each row, the polymer being extruded into filaments through said spinning orifices issuing from the spinneret, and a yarn separator cooperating with said spinneret for separating the filaments extruded from the respective groups of orifices into respective yarn ends, said yarn separator comprising a plurality of substantially parallel separator bars, each separator bar having a plurality of spaced guide means for guiding the yarn ends, the guide means on each separator bar in addition to being spaced from each other being also staggered with respect to the guide means on the other separator bars such that each guide means receives yarn from only one of the grouped spinning orifices, whereby the yarn ends of each of the grouped spinning orifices are guided to and away from the yarn separator in a spaced relationship.
 2. The spinning apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the guide means are rollers rotatable on said separator bars.
 3. The spinning apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including means for containing a bath positioned below the spinneret for receiving the filaments extruded from the orifices, the yarn separator being positioned in said containing means.
 4. A yarn separator for use in cooperation with a spinneret, said spinneret having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices arranged in rows, there being several grouped spinning orifices in each row, comprising a plurality of substantially parallel separator bars, each of said separator bars having a plurality of spaced guide means for guiding the yarn ends, the guide means on each separator bar in addition to being spaced from each other being also staggered with respect to the guide means of the other separator bars such that each guide means receives yarn from only one of the grouped spinning orifices whereby the yarn ends of each of the grouped spinning orifices are guided to and away from the yarn separator in a spaced relationship.
 5. The yarn separator as defined in claim 1, wherein the guide means comprises rollers rotatable on said separator bars.
 6. A spinning apparatus for extruding polymeric yarn which includes a spinneret having a plurality of grouped spinning orifices arranged in rows there being at least one of the grouped spinning orifices in each row and a yarn separator cooperating with said spinneret for separating the filaments extruded from the respective groups of orifices into respective yarn ends, said yarn separator comprising a plurality of substantially parallel separator bars having a plurality of spaced guide means for guiding the yarn ends, there being at least one guide means on each separator bar the guide means on said separator bars being spaced from each other and staggered with respect to the guide means on the other separator bars such that each guide means constitute means for receiving yarn from only one of the grouped spinning orifices, whereby the yarn ends of each of the grouped spinning orifices are guided to and away from the yarn separator in a spaced relationship. 